ATLANTA — Police say they expect DNA test results within days from one of the suspects involved in the deadly shooting at a popular Atlanta restaurant.
Atlanta police told Channel 2 investigative reporter Aaron Diamant that they will be the first ones to admit this case has investigators really frustrated.
Investigators said they've got a ton of solid evidence, but so far, they have no suspects in the robbery at Barcelona Wine Bar in west midtown.
Police announced Wednesday that they had increased the reward in the case, but they also say that reward hasn't gotten them much information.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Shooter said 'good morning' before gunning down co-worker inside business, police say
- Officer shoots armed man trying to get into Atlanta school
- Man accused of emptying R. Kelly's homes turns himself in
“We still want their family to know that we’re still working hard to try to solve this case,” said Maj. Adam Lee, commander of the Atlanta Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit.
It's been three weeks since robbers went into the restaurant and shot manager Chelsea Beller. She later died at the hospital from her injuries.
The incident was caught on clear surveillance video.
“Any time you have that kind of situation happen, it tugs at your heartstrings,” Lee told Diamant.
Lee said he now expects the results of DNA tests to provide critical evidence within days from the masks the suspects wore, off a distinctive sweatshirt found near where investigators discovered the hijacked getaway car, plus blood evidence.
“It might not give us a name, but it should give us, we’re hoping, a profile of a person,” Lee said.
The Crime Stoppers reward stands at $33,000, but with few calls so far, Lee believes the people they're looking for might live outside metro Atlanta.
“No one watching the news may know that person,” Lee said.
Or even more concerning…
“Oftentimes, the people that are in the community with that person may just be so deathly afraid that they’re not even willing to call to get reward money for fear of what might happen to them,” Lee said.
Which is why Lee wants the word out: if you might know who these people are, all the tips to that go into Crime Stoppers remain anonymous.
“We have a computer that doesn’t record, it doesn’t have caller ID attached to it. The person’s name is never part of the file,” Lee said.
Anyone with information in this case is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.
Cox Media Group